Traveling case



Now). 20, 1928. A. sows-rem TRAVELING CASE Filed April 50, 19,27

. INVENTOR Abraham G ldsfein,

Patented Nov. 20, 1928.

UNITED STATES ABRAHAM GOLDSTEIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Application filed April 30, 1927.

This invention relates to travelin casesv and has for its ob'ects to n-ovide an im )roved 1 traveling case having a tray which may or may not be employed as found .most desirable: to provide a tray which may be retained a all times in the case ready for use but which v l l not be in the way or interfere with packn the case when not utilizing the tray; to )ovide an effective tray of soft and flexible n'iaterial; to enable the tray to be sir-etched tight by simple and improved means when desired to utilize the same; to provide a tray which will remain in place with flexing of the side walls of the case; to secure simplicity of construction and operation, and to obtain other advantages and results as may be brought out in the following description.

Referring to the accompanying drawing in which like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views: Figure 1 is a perspective View of a traveling case embodying my invention, with the case open and the tray in operative position; Figure 2 is a similar perspective view with the tray in open position for permitting the case to be packed or unpacked; and

Figure 3 is an underneath View of the rider and a portion of the attaching means for said tray.

In the specific embodiment of the inventio illustrated in said drawing, the reference numeral 1 indicates the body portion of a traveling case having a lid or cover 2 hinged thereto. While I have chosen to illustrate the invention with a substantially cylindrical case, commonly known as a hat box, it is not to be understood that the invention is confined to this particular type of traveling case. Furthermore, for purposes merely of ease in reference, the traveling case will be described in the position illustrated, in which event the side that opens may be termed the top, and the opposite side may be termed the bottom. Since the case is substantially cylindrical the peripheral enclosure for the same constitutes a curved side wall 3 of appropriate height to give the bag the desired depth, as will be readily understood.

I provide a tray 4: in the case preferably of flexible and soft material, such as cloth, so that when the tray is not in use it will take no material space and will readily flex to accommodate itself to whatever space may be left in the bag when the same is packed, and accommodate itself to the irregularities of the goods packed in the case. As shown, it is pre- TRAVELING CASE.

serial No. 187,742.

ferred to secure this tray at one relatively short edge portion 5 permanently to the case so it will always remain'with the case whether it is in use or not. This edge portion of the tray is shown at the side of the case where the cover is hinged, and therefore when the cover is opened the tray 4 may be swung or drawn up in the same direction as the cover and enable the case to be packed without interference by the tray. In order to hold the tray up out of the way, I have shown a snap fastener memberS on'the tray near the edge opposite from the secured portion 5, and a cooperating snap fastener member 7 carried by the cover 2 onto which the member 6 may be applied when so desired. It will be noted that the cover 2 may be opened and closed with the tray 4 secured to it by side snap fastener members 6, 7, Without injury to any of the parts.

Tray 4L in the present showing is substantially circular to correspond to the size and sh ape of the interior of the traveling case and is provided with holding means 8 at its circumferential edge to cooperate with the corresponding holding means 9 on the interior of the body portion of the traveling case. Preferably the holding means is of a type enabling the tray to be secured around its entire otherwise free periphery. As one such holding means, I have illustrated a device now commonly employed and known as hookless fasteners which comprises a plurality of evenly spaced fingers on one member which interlock with the corresponding evenly spaced fingers on the other member by virtue of bosses on one side of all said fingers and recesses in the opposite side as indicated in Figure 3. These fingers are caused to progressively lock and unlock by a manually operated rider 10 as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. I do not claim as my invention the construction per se of this par ticular holding means, but only its use in the combination herein set forth.

The member 9 of this holding means which is attached to the body portion 1 of the bag is preferably secured in a plane substantially parallel to the bottom of the bag and spaced at an appropriate distance from the upper edge of the side wall of the body portion so that the tray will cooperate with the upper marginal portion of the side wall above the holding means to provide a shallow compartment with the tray forming the bottom of that compartment. The parts are so proportioned that when the peripheral holding means is manipulated to secure the edge of the tray to the side wall of the traveling case, the tray is stretched tightand forms a complete partition between the upper and lower portions of the case. Consequently, it the lower part of the case is utilized to hold some article, such as a hat, on the removable cushion or form ll shown in Figure 2, the tray 4 will protect the hat and will enable other articles to be packed in the case on the tray. Furthermore, the holding means obtains a complete and secure closure of the tray with respect to the side wall, and flexing of the side Wall in use of the case will not separate said holding means, but the tray will be caused-to flex with the flexing of the side wall.

Obviously detail changes and modifications may be anade in the construction and use of my improved traveling case without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, and I do'not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact structure shown or described except as set forth in the following claims when construed in the light of the prior art.

Having thus described my claim-:

1. A traveling case having); a peripheral wall, a normally flexible tray, and releasable means adjacent said peripheral wall for holding said tray stretched tight and supported by said wall. I

2. A traveling case having a peripheral wall, a tray having a periphery adapted to be positioned adjacent said peripheral wall, and cooperating means on said peripheral wall and periphery of the tray for securing the tray in position and stretching it tight.

3. In a traveling case, the combination of a flexible tray therefor, said tray and said case having cooperating holding means around an otherwise tree portion of the circumference of the tray said means adapted to progressively lock peripherally of the tray for securing the tray in position around said tree circumference.

ABRAHAM GOLDSTEIN.

invention, 1 

